Legatus Magazine: October 2015
Building a Culture of Life
God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good. (Genesis 1:31)
In the first book of the Sacred Scriptures, we read the beautiful story of creation. God selflessly shared of Himself so that we would have the privilege of enjoying paradise. Only God has the vast imagination to create with uniqueness, pouring out the gift of selfless love into each stroke of His masterpiece. The crown jewel of all of creation is the gift of life that He created in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26)… the human person! As descendants of Adam and Eve, each one of us shares in the gift of life bestowed upon us when God (with our parents as co-creators) breathed life into our soul.
As part of my summer vacation reading, I ventured into Pope Francis’ recent encyclical Laudato Si. If you have not had the opportunity to read this, I would highly encourage you to do so. Pope Francis encourages us as human stewards to take responsibility for all of the goodness that God has created- for all of life. Above all, though, we must remember to uplift the dignity of each human person, especially those who are most vulnerable.
The term ‘Culture of Life’ was presented by Saint John Paul II during his visit to the United States in 1993, and encourages a deeper appreciation and respect for all of human life from conception to natural death. As a saint of our modern time, the beloved Holy Father condemned the Culture of Death, a term that needs no explanation. All we have to do is watch the evening news or read any news outlet website to be exposed to the litany of violent acts which explains the sadness of the Culture of Death. However, as Catholic Christians, we have a responsibility, not an option, to reject death and promote life. It is with this spirit that we celebrate Respect Life month each October, a time to focus on our individual call as disciples to Build a Culture of Life. But how? A few suggestions (certainly not exhaustive) are mentioned below:
First, the power of prayer can never be underestimated. When it comes to matters of life, we must pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). As people of hope, there is no room for burnout in prayer on our journey to promote the gift of life. St. Therese of Lisieux, known for her Little Way, said: “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven”. Pray from the heart for a greater respect for life at all stages, from conception to natural death. Pray from the heart for those today at this very moment who are considering an offense towards life through abortion or other incredibly violent action. Pray from the heart for those who have been affected by poor decisions in the past, that the mercy of God will embrace them and bring about sincere conversion. Would you consider setting aside a day of the week or month to offer a Holy Hour for life? Perhaps you can make an extra effort to attend Mass on First Friday and offer your time and sacrifice in thanksgiving for life?
Second, we build a Culture of Life through advocacy and education. We must be a voice for those in our world whose voice is not heard because no one is listening. Are you inspired to march at a local abortion clinic or prison where an execution is about to occur? If not, your silent witness of prayer sitting on the curb may also be effective. Perhaps you are inspired to support life through visiting residents in a nursing home, engaging the forgotten of our disposable society in a dialog of respect. An act of presence, care or concern for the marginalized and forgotten is an act of love. It is also important that we teach the next generation and beyond, children and grandchildren, what it means to be appreciative for our own life, to be steadfast in supporting pro-life politicians and leaders, and to be vigilant in protecting the sanctity of life. Parents and grandparents help to define the ‘culture’ of their family. Is yours a Culture of Life?
Finally, we must be cognizant of the example of our own actions of living every day. How can we respect (and protect) the life that we do not see, when we do not respect and protect the lives that we do see? The manner in which we treat our fellow human beings, whether they are a part of our inner circle of familiarity or not, is a witness and is proportionate to our support of all human life. Embracing the qualities of courtesy, kindness, listening and patience throughout our day at work or at home are gifts that have no material cost, yet can be priceless in our relationships.
Pope Francis has declared a Year of Mercy beginning on December 8th and ending on November 20, 2016. The theme of this Holy Year is: “Be Merciful like the Father”. If “God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good” (Genesis 1:31) then we also must look to all of the life that He has created and find it good and in need of our constant prayer, advocacy and witness. This October, will you commit to building a Culture of Life by being loving and merciful like the Father and by following the example of the life of His Son?
Fr. Stephen D. Parkes, V. F.
To view the original article in Legatus Magazine please click on the link:
http://legatus.org/building-a-culture-of-life-in-the-year-of-mercy/